A Predicament

Chapter Four June 7, 2006 6:03 p.m.


Harry’s mind was reeling. He didn’t know how he should act around Severus and Draco. Were they lovers? Were they just really close friends? How could he find out without offending the two?

He had to go up and make sure they were awake, and he really didn’t want to poke his head into the room and find them doing something intimate. He just didn’t know how to act around them and it was making him edgy.

When the last dish was on the table Harry decided he couldn’t put off the inevitable any longer and walked up the stairs. When he arrived at Severus’ door he took a deep breath and steeled himself to knock.

“Enter,” was the muffled reply.

Harry opened the door cautiously and peered into the dark room.

“Don’t lurk, Potter. Do you have your wand on you? I can’t find mine.”

Harry smiled and flipped the light-switch. His smile faded a bit around the edges when he saw Draco and Severus wrapped around one another both naked, at least from the waist up. Below the waist was covered in the bedding, and Harry was very happy about that fact.

Harry cleared his throat,” Dinner’s ready.”

Draco’s head popped off Severus’ chest enthusiastically, “What are we having?”

“Baked chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and salad.”

“What, no dessert?” Draco pouted.

Harry smiled and thought, He’s just like Lydia. “Ice cream.”

Draco’s eyes lit up, “Please tell me you have chocolate.”

Harry chuckled, “Of course. Neapolitan.”

“Neo-what?”

“Neapolitan: chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla together.”

“Oh,” Draco shrugged and sat up, which caused the bed clothes to slip into his lap. He wasn‘t wearing anything beneath the covers. “So long as there’s chocolate in it I’ll be happy.”

“Yeah,” Harry shifted uncomfortably at the site of Draco’s bare skin. “Well, dinner’s ready whenever you are.” He shut the door before either of them could respond. He had to get away from that room.

Please, dear God, let them both be fully dressed when they come down for dinner. Harry prayed as he rushed back down to the kitchen. He really didn’t think he could keep up his end of things if either of them was going to be strutting around half dressed, or less.

When Harry had left Severus sat up and kissed Draco’s cheek. “That wasn’t very nice.”

Draco’s brow furrowed in puzzlement, “What wasn’t?”

Severus smirked and waved a hand at Draco’s barely covered body, “Showing off.”

Draco’s eyes widened in embarrassment, “Oh, hell………. I forgot I wasn’t wearing anything.”

“I’d tell you to apologize, but I think that might make him more uncomfortable. Come now, let’s get dressed and go down.”

Draco stood and went to the armoire to find Severus something to wear other than pajamas. He chose a pair of black slacks and a dark blue button up shirt, and laid them on the foot of the bed for Severus to put on. Then he put his own clothes back on and the two men went to the small dining room.

Dinner was a silent affair, Harry wouldn’t look at the two Slytherins and Severus was planning what he needed to order for his lab.

Draco was just bored. He was trying desperately to think of something to say when Harry began clearing up. Draco remembered that actions are more effective than words and leaned into Severus, keeping his voice to a whisper, “Severus?”

“Yes?” Severus asked absently.

“Can I kiss Potter?”

Severus looked up sharply, “Why?”

Draco widened his eyes, trying to look innocent, “As an apology for earlier.”

“Draco………. I don’t think antagonizing him is a good idea.”

Draco pouted, “I don’t want to antagonize him, I just want to see if he’s interested. Besides, I’m bored and I’ve been trying to get under his skin all day. He’s so much more level-headed nowadays.”

Severus sighed, “I see, you want to know you can still get a reaction from him.”

“I suppose so. I just want to know that there’s still a spark of that hot tempered Gryffindor in there, he’s turned into such a Hufflepuff.”

Severus pulled his notepad out and started making notes, “Do it if you must, but don’t expect me to clean up the mess when it goes badly.”

Draco’s grin was sharp and he kissed Severus on the cheek, “No worries. I can clean up after my self.”

“I’ll be in the parlor when you’re done,“ Severus looked up and Draco was gone. Severus set his quill down and smiled. Things were definitely going to be interesting for a while.


Draco stalked into the kitchen with the last of the dishes from the table. He set them on the counter and watched Harry.

After a few moments Harry looked up from loading the dishwasher, “Did you need something, Malfoy?”

“Draco.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I think you should call me Draco.”

“Why?”

“Well, if we’re going to be living together for the next few years we should probably start using one another’s first names.”

“Um…….. Sure, whatever you say. Was there something you needed, Draco?”

“Just curious about what you’re doing.”

“I’m cleaning the dishes.”

“With that little box?”

Harry sighed, realizing that Draco would not be leaving any time soon, “It’s called a dishwasher, and, surprise, it washes the dishes so you don’t have to.”

“Why not just use a cleansing charm?”

Harry’s laugh was a little bitter, “Yeah, domestic charms aren’t my thing. That was always Gin’s area.”

“Who?”

Harry bit his tongue, he hadn’t meant to talk about that part of his life, especially not with Malfoy. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter.”

“Yes it does. Who’s Gin?” Draco pressed, this was interesting. “A lover?”

Harry tried to ignore Draco’s question, but he couldn’t, not really. It hurt to think about, but he needed to be honest with his new housemate. “My wife.”

Draco’s eyes goggled and his mouth dropped open, “You’re married?”

Harry smiled thinly and put a kettle on the stove to make tea, “I was. She was killed three years ago.”

“Killed? How?”

Harry sighed and sat down at the kitchen table. “One of the Death Eaters that weren’t caught at the end of the war found our house one afternoon. We had tried to keep the fact that we were married a secret for the most part, the only people at the wedding were her family and a few very close friends. Somehow he found out and found out where we were living. The house was warded, but she had taken them down that afternoon because a friend of hers was coming for a visit. I arrived just in time to watch him kill her, and to kill him.”

Draco looked at Harry, his eyes were blank, and his voice had gone hollow. Draco realized he’d never dealt with his grief, he’d just pushed it aside and kept going on. He felt his throat tighten in sympathy. “I’m sorry.”

Harry’s eyes snapped to Draco’s. The blond had been sincere in his sympathy, and it tore the wound in his heart open, just a little.

“Gin? Not Ginny Weasley?”

Harry nodded.

The kettle began to whistle and Draco poured hot water into a mug, added a teabag, and set it in front of Harry. He then fixed two more for himself and Severus.

Harry took a deep breath and looked up, “I’m sorry, I don’t like talking about it much.”

“I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t like it if I were in your shoes. I’m going to take this to Severus and go to the parlor, come join us when you’re ready.”

Harry nodded and took the first drink of his tea as Draco left.

When Draco arrived in the parlor Severus looked up. “How did it go?”

Draco set down the mugs and curled up next to Severus looking puzzled, “How did what go?”

Severus stared at him hard, “What happened when you kissed him?”

“Oh! I didn’t.” Draco laid his head against Severus’ shoulder, “Did you know he was married?”

“Widowed, yes. After the funeral he started visiting me.”

“He said you didn’t share personal information.”

“We didn’t, but the old Death Eaters were all gossiping about it. The Weasley girl.”

“Ginny, yes. He’s still so broken up about it.”

“He thinks his love for someone is a death sentence. I think that’s why he’s here. If he’s holed up away from the rest of the world, then he can’t be the reason someone gets hurt or killed.”

Draco sighed, “Well, I never thought I would feel sorry for Harry Potter, but no one should have to watch a loved one be killed. I don‘t think he‘s dealt with it, I think he‘s just been pushing the grief to the side and trying to ignore it.”

“You may just be able to help him.”

“How so?”

“Well, Voldemort murdered Narcissa in front of you, how did you deal with that?”

Draco scowled, “I rampaged through our house breaking anything I could, I cried on you for about three weeks, talked to you about it for another month, got you to fuck me senseless at every opportunity, and drank myself into a stupor when you wouldn’t fuck me senseless. Are you suggesting we get him drunk and fuck him senseless?”

“Getting him drunk may just work, fucking him senseless will probably have to wait.”

“Damn,” Draco slumped. Then brightened when Harry walked in, “Got any booze, Potter?”

“I thought we were going to start using each other’s first names, and no, I don’t drink.”

Draco looked horrified, “Why the hell not?”

“Alcohol gets me into trouble.”

Draco’s eyes went sly, “Oh really? What kind of trouble.”

“The kind I would never tell you about. I haven’t had a drink since before the war ended.”

“The it’s high time you picked up a glass again.”

“Look, Draco, I’m really not up to this tonight. I think I’m just going to turn in early.”

“No, wait, don’t go. I’ll leave you alone about it.”

“No, it’s not that, I’m just really tired. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Potter,” Severus said.

“Wait, Potter, um sorry, Harry. Can I talk to you alone for a minute.”

Harry nodded and sighed as he stepped out into the hall, “What is it?”

Draco stepped close to him and Harry stepped back, until he came up against the wall, “What the hell do you want, Malfoy?”

“Call me Draco,” Draco said as he leaned in and pressed his lips to Harry’s.

Harry’s eyes went wide and he froze in shock. Draco didn’t try to deepen the kiss, just kept his eyes locked on Harry’s, waiting for a reaction.

After a long moment Harry’s brain returned to life and he brought his hands up to push Draco away. When Draco stumbled back Harry stared at him, “Don’t ever do that again,” and started up the stairs.

“Why not?”

Harry turned and looked at Draco. It was several minutes before he finally spoke, “I won’t be used as a pawn for when you’re angry with Severus. Leave me out of your little games.”

Draco smiled as Harry walked away. Harry hadn’t been angry or embarrassed. No, he’d been calm. It was all very interesting.

“I take it you kissed him?” Severus said from the doorway.

Draco nodded and wrapped an arm around Severus’ waist. “Are you jealous?”

“No, you told me you wanted to, even asked my permission to do it.”

“Are you angry that I did it?”

“No. I have no reason to be.”

“Can I do it again?”

“I think I should be the one to make the next move. He obviously thinks you’re trying to make me jealous. I need to disabuse him of this notion.”

Draco sighed, “Fine.”

“Come, tesoro, let’s go to bed.”

Draco smiled, “That sounds good.”

Severus turned out the lights and they went up the stairs to bed.